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Kolkata, Jan 9 : Global animal rights group PETA has urged Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to take immediate steps to help prevent death of elephants by speeding trains in northern West Bengal and Assam.
"In the wake of news reports about the violent deaths of four wild elephants – including two calves – who were struck and dragged by a train in Assam on Jan 1, PETA today sent an urgent letter to Minister of Railways Mamata Banerjee imploring her to take immediate steps," a spokesperson of People for Ethical Treatment of Animal (PETA) said quoting from the letter.
"This recent tragedy is just the latest in a long line of railway accidents that have killed and injured many elephants. Elephant herds travel long distances in search of food along traditional migration routes which possibly have been in use for centuries.
"The presence of railways in protected areas around the country has caused the accidental deaths of wild elephants. Sadly, no suitable steps have been taken to protect these elephants from harm," said Arkaprava Bhar, Campaign Coordinator, PETA.
PETA has raised concerns about this issue with Mamata Banerjee's predecessor, Lalu Prasad Yadav, but nothing has been done to protect elephants.
Amongst the measures the group recommends are reducing train speeds in forest areas, improving visibility, regulating garbage disposal and restoring migration corridors without railway tracks, issuing notice to trains that have caused accidents in the past asking them to drive carefully and slowly while passing dense forests.
"We all revere elephants as incarnations of Lord Ganesha, and it is heartbreaking to think that so many of these animals are dying agonising deaths as a result of preventable railway accidents", wrote PETA India's Ashish Verma.
"We hope that you will take immediate action to spare elephants from suffering this miserable fate."
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